England vs South Africa - Not enough on the rib cage by South Africa - Opinion
Yesterday’s play in the First Test of the 2012 Investec Series between South Africa and England was eagerly awaited. Part of this can be explained in light of the ruthlessness of the South African bowling attack which has been viewed in the recent past.
Many wanted to see some http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GP-Swann-c1501 music ringing into the English batsmen's ears. That wasn’t to be however, and despite significant efforts being directed at deploying half trackers, the end result would be a comfortable duck by the batsman on strike.
The manner, in which Alastair Cook and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/IJL-Trott-c1576 swayed away from the South African bowling with assurance was deflating for the Proteas fans, and contradicted South Africa’s objectives in this Test match. South Africa got carried away with constantly
experimenting on an off stump channel on a placid wicket. The sun eventually came out during the afternoon session and the Oval pitch flattened, which did not help the likes of Steyn, Philander and even Kallis; who failed to extract enough seam movement. Yet
what was noticed was constant bowling on that off stump channel, prompting Centurion Alastair Cook, to leave with ease.
South Africans had lost the early momentum they achieved by dismissing http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AJ-Strauss-c964. The deliveries bowled were either not short enough to trouble the batsman to take evasive action and or were not full enough to induce the cover drive and give the wicket
keeper or the slip fielders something to think about. They were monotonous in their bowling display, where the two trump cards, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 in terms of the run rate
which was something not worth feeling content with. For the batsman, leaving the ball was as easy as tapping the pitch, and a run-rate of just below 3 runs per over for the first day was considered to be a good effort. England were comfortably poised with
the loss of just three wickets and what irked South African fans was the fact that one of those three wickets was from a short ball by Kallis.
Interestingly, the latter part of the day saw more short deliveries being deployed by pacers Dale Steyn and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/M-Morkel-c73528. The new ball was made available to South Africa and with the sun setting and the ball darting around, it was expected that deliveries
would have been pitched on a far fuller length. What was on view instead, was a barrage of short deliveries which were rather unnecessary.
With the two short deliveries which were cannoned into http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AN-Cook-c1026 and Ian Bell’s rib cage, the batsmen were irked and had no clue. The reaction from the English batsman was that of discomfort and disgust as they were more accustomed to playing the ball
on length. Cook’s twitch and Bell’s disconcerting look at his hand, pinpointed at a possible advantage that South Africa could have availed, by peppering the Englishman with more short stuff. Instead, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GC-Smith-c1473, declined in placing
short legs or bat pads to try and unrest the batsmen, who were bound to believe that a short delivery was coming their way.
A total of 22 extras were conceded by South Africa and erring in line by the pace attack provided easy pickings for the batsmen. The score currently stands at 267/3 at the end of Day 1 and the script is not expected to change, unless South Africa appeals
to the ghosts of the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 attack of the 1980s.
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